authenticate vs certify

authenticate and certify both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
authenticate	No	No	Yes	No
certify	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, certify is a hypernym of authenticate; that is, certify is a word with a broader meaning than authenticate:

authenticate: establish the authenticity of something
certify: provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes

Other hypernyms of authenticate include attest, demonstrate, evidence, manifest.

authenticate (verb)	certify (verb)
establish the authenticity of something	provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
	declare legally insane
	guarantee payment on; of checks
	guarantee as meeting a certain standard
	authorize officially